Classless Jaguars Fans Tailgate With Steve McNair Skeleton

September 11, 2011 was a patriotic day for Americans across the country as we all took time out of our daily schedules to remember those who lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks 10 years ago. It also happened to be the first NFL Sunday of the year which meant plenty of football for avid fans and also fantasy owners.

I watched the Jaguars/Titans season opener that was played in Jacksonville, FL. The opening anthem was excellently sung by rising singer Charice as a large-sized American flag was spread across EverBank field. The Jaguars would actually go on to win the game against the Titans 16-14 on a late interception by Titans QB Matt Hasselbeck. All in all, it was a pretty good day for the fans that showed up to see the game in Jacksonville.

However, not everyone that attended the game in Jacksonville came with patriotic intentions. Earlier in the day during the pre-game tailgating, a few Jaguars fans thought it would be funny to bring a skeleton dressed with a ripped and bloodied jersey of former Titans QB Steve McNair who was murdered two years ago.

The picture, which arrives via email from a reputable source, included these details: “A very close friend who lives in Jacksonville that is a big Jaguars fan took the photo Sunday before the game. He asked me who #9 belonged to. When I replied he apologized for the classless Jag fans.”

The Titans and Jaguars rivalry is a fierce one and goes back to the late 90s when the McNair led Titans would clash with the Jaguar teams led by QB Mark Brunell and RB Fred Taylor. Back in 2000, when the Jaguars hosted the AFC title game it was the Titans that came to Florida and defeated them — the Jags haven’t come that close to a title ever since. After that game, former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher would joke about playing in Jacksonville, saying that it was like a “home away from home” for the Titans.

Though the Titans/Jags AFC Title Game was over 10 years ago, the bad blood between these two teams is still apparent. Last year’s Titans/Jaguars game in Jacksonville was aired on Monday Night Football for a national audience and Coach Fisher once again drew the ire of Jaguars fans by running up the score when he sent Chris Johnson out on 4th down (he would score a TD) with with a 20 point lead and less than 2 minutes left in the game.

That being said, it was totally inexcusable to mock the death of the former QB of the Titans. Steve McNair’s death was a tragedy and the city of Nashville is still haunted by questions surrounding the sketchy details of his death. Football is an intense sport and as fans of the game we often let emotions get the best of us, but it is important to remember to leave all things football-related on the field on Sundays.

The fans in Florida that showed up with the McNair skeleton may see their actions as harmless, but they also have to account for the fact that McNair was not only a teammate and football player but also a husband, father, and friend to many.

What goes around comes around as we all know Karma doesn’t discriminate. If the Jacksonville Jaguars eventually relocate to Los Angeles, we know who to blame.

WAAAAA! Probably the worst bit of sensationalist reporting I have ever seen. You do know this old lady (who owns the skeleton) put up the skeleton every game with a different teams shirt/jersey on it right? And it’s clearly claw marks on the jersey, so unless McNair died of a Jaguar attack as opposed to sleeping around on his wife and getting shot then you’re piece of crap story is moot. Keep the racism alive and well my friends.

Whether they’re mocking a dead black player like Steve McNair, or a white player like Pat Tillman, WRONG IS WRONG. This has NOTHING at all to do with racism, you clearly didn’t read the article at all.

How many times was race mentioned in this article? .. That’s right..

This isn’t sensationalist reporting in any way. It’s actually just a case of a reader being too ignorant and/or lazy to actually READ the article.

This whole thing enrages me! I know this person and they are one of the nicest most caring people I know! They do this for every game and are completely devastated by the oversight of whose jersey it belonged to.

I’m sure there’s a “rest of the story” for you to write. Try getting the lady’s side of the story.

To pull the karma is a b___ card and say if the team goes to LA, we know why, is weak and on par with the typical “lazy journalism” we have become accustomed to seeing. It’s too bad this PFT, web hack “journalism” has oozed to the colleges, especially a fine institution such as USA. You guys go for low hanging fruit and damn if you don’t use it. Tarps, blackouts, LA talk, you name it.

The fan in question has done this has apologized profusely and was interviewed by the Florida Times Union. The rips, were meant to symbolize claw marks, such as those from a jaguar. Get it? She stated she bought the jersey years ago and McNair’s death never crossed her mind.

She stated that she was going to do similar for the Saints game and the jersey was Deuce McAllister. I’m sure there’s no malice.

I think the overreaction by the blogosphere is equally as irresponsible as you feel the lady is.

Also, finally, don’t even DARE compare Pat Tillman’s death with Steve McNair’s. Pat Tillman died in combat due to friendly fire. Steve McNair was killed by his mistress in an apartment while his family was elsewhere. People like Pat Tillman who make these sacrifices enable folks like you from foreign countries to study and prosper in the United States.

See how that works? You inject Pat Tillman into the discussion, now you’re the heel. I don’t know your intent or connotation, but I think judging on your comments, I’m a little closer to the real scoop about you than you are about skeleton lady.

I hope they get murdered in the worst way and yes you can put Tillman and Mcnair in the same boat joe. Unless you, do some damn research. He was not killed in friendly fire, he was setup to die by guess who? The unit he was in. Mcnair was going through the ol I’m getting a divorce and at the last minute changed his mind. When he was murdered, he wasn’t dealing with her sexually anymore. He just didn’t want her committing suicide, like she said earlier. Fact of the matter is you’re wrong for using ANY dead people as mockery. If you can’t afford $39 dollars for a current name player then who should be the rebuttal of the jokes.

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